Is Houston’s Harold Hurtt hunting for a new police post? [updated]

It began with a story in the San Francisco Chronicle, that Houston’s police chief, Harold Hurtt, is on a list of “semifinalists” for police chief of San Francisco.

Houston Chronicle

Hurtt

I got on the case Saturday and reached Hurtt. He refused comment at first, but after calls to the mayor’s senior staffers, he called back and had more to say.

I’m working on a full story, but the take-away is that Hurtt has received some inquiries about taking jobs with other law enforcement agencies, but has not made any decision.

“I’ve told the mayor I’d stay until the end of his administration,” said Hurtt, 62. “However, I still have to look out for what’s best for myself and my family. I would love to stay in Houston but I think it’s inappropriate to raise any assumptions . . . with any potential candidate for mayor at this time.”

I couldn’t get a call back from White, but spokesman Frank Michel said turnover is expected in the mayor’s last year.

The director of the Houston Airport System, Richard Vacar, resigned abruptly Friday after serving in that position for 11 years. The reasons for that are still unclear. Terence Fontaine, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff, left in December to work for CenterPoint Energy.